As if it wasn’t enough to have to compete with young corporate-ladder-climbers, as much as they think legitimate ageism is rife in the workplace, a study has revealed that females think just looking over 40 can kill a woman’s career.
The survey found most women believed if they didn’t reach the boardroom by the time they reached 40 that they never would — and their looks probably played a big part.
An enormous two thirds of UK women surveyed believe their career advancement is curtailed once they reach 40, and more than half consider their career prospects in jeopardy if they don’t look youthful.
The survey was undertaken by leading beauty website Escentual.com, following revelations that not one single woman was promoted to the board of any of the UK’s top one hundred companies this year.
“Clearly there is a great feeling that ageism is a serious problem for women in the workplace,” a spokesperson for the website said.
“It’s a terrible situation that most that most women feel that they are unlikely to move forward with their career if they look older than forty.”
When asked if they thought men faced the same challenges, a whopping 82 percent of participants said that they believed their male counterparts did not face the same pressures — gaining authority with age, if anything.
And it seems that women are not only feeling these pressures, but acting on them as well, with 73 percent of those surveyed spending around $95 a month on age-defying products such as anti-wrinkle creams, hair treatment, and body oils.
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